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Enzo Maresca is on the verge of being officially appointed as the new manager of Manchester City.

Both Manchester City and Chelsea are closing in on a financial settlement that would allow the Italian coach to move to the Etihad Stadium.

Maresca and his coaching team have already been briefed on their initial challenges at the club, including preparations for the upcoming Premier League season.

Manchester City are reportedly close to finalising a financial agreement with Chelsea that will enable them to officially confirm Enzo Maresca as their next manager.

The era of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City came to an end after the 2025/26 season, with the iconic Spaniard stepping down following a decade filled with silverware, which included 20 major honours and a final domestic cup double.

Jamie Vardy described City’s new hire as ‘a clone’ of Pep Guardiola, underlining the stylistic continuity the club seeks to maintain.

Charged with succeeding one of football’s greatest modern tacticians, the Etihad management team initiated a succession plan to uphold the club’s deeply rooted footballing philosophy.

Given his in-depth knowledge of the club, having coached the Elite Development Squad and later served as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 Treble-winning campaign, Maresca was quickly identified as the leading candidate to lead City into the post-Pep era.

However, despite verbally accepting a three-year contract in May, Maresca’s formal unveiling has been delayed due to ongoing administrative and financial disputes with Chelsea.

Although he departed Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, Chelsea maintained that Maresca remained bound by certain contractual terms. The London club has reportedly demanded over £10 million in compensation, alleging that the Italian breached his contract by engaging in talks with Manchester City without permission.

As a result, legal representatives from both clubs have been engaged in talks to finalise a financial resolution, leaving City temporarily without a manager just weeks before pre-season training begins.

According to a report by Matt Hughes of The Guardian, Manchester City are now close to reaching a financial settlement with Chelsea that would allow them to formally appoint Enzo Maresca as their new manager, succeeding Pep Guardiola.

Sources suggest that relations between executives at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad remain positive, and both parties are confident of reaching an amicable agreement, with the settlement expected to exceed £10 million in Chelsea’s favour.

Manchester City’s pre-season training is scheduled to begin in mid-July, delayed due to the large number of their players participating in the FIFA World Cup in North America. Nevertheless, Maresca is reportedly eager to begin work at the Etihad as soon as possible.

In his opening weeks, Maresca will have to strike a balance between administrative matters and on-pitch planning. With the legal issues surrounding his Chelsea contract nearing resolution, he is expected to shift focus towards squad development ahead of the team’s return to the City Football Academy.

His immediate priority will be to shape a refreshed midfield unit, driven by the club’s ongoing pursuit of Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson in what could become a British-record transfer.

The 23-year-old midfielder is set to undergo a medical in the United States during the World Cup, while Sporting Director Hugo Viana is working to complete the necessary documentation to ensure the deal is finalised before pre-season begins.

The Premier League’s official fixture announcement has confirmed that Enzo Maresca will make his competitive home debut as Manchester City manager on Sunday, 23 August, when they host Bournemouth at 14:00 (UK time), live on Sky Sports.

Manchester City’s full fixture list for the 2026/27 Premier League season has also been revealed.